White Paper Components and IEC 60335-1 www.schurter.com/downloads IEC 60335-1 Household Appliances Enhanced Requirements on Components th The IEC 60335-1 standard in its 4 edition ensures even better fire protection in unatten- ded electrical household appliances. To achieve this goal, the demands placed on glow wire resistance of the plastics used for insulating or mounting live components have been increased. Household appliances may catch fire due to power surges (glowing compon- ents), defective components, faulty electrical connections, arcing switching contacts, .... Part 1, Paragraph 30.2, Test of heat and fire Using only CE self declaration, manufacturers resistance (see Figure 1), defines various re- are in violation of the current guidelines, unless quirements for insulating plastics. As specified they replace the relevant parts. th in the revised 4 edition of IEC 60335-1 (which came into effect in May 2001), insulating ma- Requirements for Components Used in terials used for live components in unattended Unattended Appliances Rated at >0.2 A appliances whose current exceeds 0.2 A must The insulation materials used in close proximity meet higher demands in glow wire testing. The < ( 3 mm distance) to the electrical conductor in plastic materials after-flame times have been appliances of this category must undergo two shortened accordingly. tests (see Figure 2). These are the GWFI (Glow Wire Flammability Index) and the GWIT (Glow Parts of Non-Metallic Materials Wire Ignition Temperature). in Household Equipment, IEC 60335-1, Chapter 30.2 See figure 1 Test of Heat and Fire Resistance Connections > 0.2 A Attended Appliances Unattended Appliances Chapter 30.2.2 Chapter 30.2.3 The IEC 60335 standard on theSafety of MaterialMaterial meets meets household and similar electrical appliance GWFI of >850GWFI of >850 CC comprises two parts. Part 1 (IEC 60335-1) is Connections Connections Connections Connections the basic standard governing the majority of < 0.5 A > 0.5 A < 0.2 A > 0.2 A the general requirements placed on all electrical Part must Part must Material must See figure 2 Part meets Material meets household appliances, while Part 2 (IEC 60335- meet GWT of meet GWT of meet GWIT of Regulations GWT of 750 C GWIT of >775 C 2-xx), see Table 1, is appliance-specific and 650 C 750 C >675 C have been Flame <2s Flame <5s or stringent governs special features such as whether an Part must No appliance is deemed unattended or attended, meet GWT of Material Yes the definition of the test procedures, tests con- 650 C approved Surrounding Surrounding cerning the improper use as well as distance Parts V-0 or V-1 Parts Needle Figure 1: Overview of Plastic components measures including pollution degree. Classification Flame Test in electrical household appliances Part IEC 60335-2-5 Diswashers Part 2, Paragraph 30.2, defines whether an ap- approved pliance as defined is to be deemed attended IEC 60335-2-6 Ranges and ovens Figure 2: Overview of approval of compo- or unattended and whether it uses the relevant IEC 60335-2-7 Washing mashines nents used in unattended appliances components, such as fuseholders, appliance IEC 60335-2-9 Portable cooking appliances couplers, timers, circuit breakers for equip- The aim of these tests: IEC 60335-2-12 Cup warmers ment, relays, motors and locks. Basically, the The GWFI, using a glow wire, establishes rule applies that appliances with a built-in timer IEC 60335-2-14 Misc. kitchen appliances the materials self-extinguishment/after- or program controller or appliances operated IEC 60335-2-24 Cooling appliances flame behavior in the event of an open fire. by remote control are to be deemed unatten- IEC 60335-2-30 Heaters This test corresponds to the after-flame test ded, while portable appliances are to be de- according to UL 94. During the GWFI test emed attended. However, there may also be IEC 60335-2-36 Professional Cooking appli- (see Figure 3) the material, while allowed to ances attended and unattended versions within a Part ignite at 850 C, must self-extinguish within 2 standard, e.g. the grill with or without timer IEC 60335-2-40 Heat pumps, air conditioners less than 30 seconds after the removal of as specified in IEC 60335-2-6. The transition IEC 60335-2-51 Circulation pump the glow wire. The materials are tested in the period, during which appliance manufacturers IEC 60335-2-60 Whirlpools form of plates of varying thickness according were still allowed to use components not cove- to IEC 60695-2-12. The material tested must IEC 60335-2-84 Toilets red by the standard, has expired in the mean- meet this requirement otherwise no approval time for all appliances approved in accordance Table 1: Examples according to household is possible. with IEC 60335-1. appliances standard, Part 2 PRODUCTS 1White Paper Components and IEC 60335-1 www.schurter.com/downloads The GWIT establishes the materials ignition IEC, on the other hand, concentrates mainly The following producte are available: behavior, also using a glow wire. Experience on the protection of persons against injury as Type Product Group has shown that unattended appliances in a result of contact with live parts it has thus FPG1, FPG2, FPG3, Fuseholder for Panel Mounting particular tend to self-ignite when compo- managed to dramatically lower the number of FPG6, FIZ, FUL, FEC nents fail, causing fires in the process. The accidents, if not fires. This is due to the fact that FPG4, FPG5, FPG7, Fuseholder for PCB Mounting intention behind this stricter regulation is to there are many cases where appliances self- FUP, FUA better protect end users against such fires. ignite. Therefore, and for the protection of end OGN, OGN-SMD, Fuse blocks During the GWIT test, the material may not users, the requirements have been tightened OGD, OGD-SMD ignite at 775 C, or the flame must self-ex- for insulating materials used in unattended ap- 6100, 6110, 6600, Appliance couplers tinguish within five seconds. No flaming drip pliances according to IEC 60335-1. In contrast 4793, 1681, GSP2, is permitted. Provided that the material tes- to UL 94, the test is performed using a glow GSP4, DC11 ted meets this requirement, components are wire (Figure 4) which establishes the material s granted approval without further testing. self-extinguishing / after-flame behavior (GWFI) As an alter native to the GWIT, components as well as ignition and dripping on tissue paper Feel free to ask us about implementing additio- may also undergo the glow wire tempera- (GWIT/GWT). nal models. You can contact us at: ture test (GWT), because, in essence, their www.schurter.com/contact. goals are identical. During this test, the finis- hed component may not ignite at 750 C, or the flame must self-extinguish within two Product Management Fuses 1) seconds. No flaming drip is permitted. This SCHURTER AG test is performed on finished components 2) 3) Werkhofstrasse 8-12 according to IEC 60695-2-11. Provided that 6002 Lucerne 1) the materials tested meet this requirement, Switzerland UL components are granted approval. 4) contact schurter.ch 5) IEC www.schurter.com 1) Specimen 2) Glow wire 3) flame 4) Tissue 5) Cotton Company SCHURTER is an internationally leading Figure 4: Different test methods according innovator and manufacturer of fuses, con- to IEC 60695 and UL 94-V nectors, circuit breakers, input systems and EMC products as well as a PCB-assembly What Does this Imply for Component service provider for the electronics industry. Figure 3: Glow wire test setup Manufacturers Manufacturers are now challenged to test the Customers are manufacturers of computers Should the flame burn longer than two se- compliance with these new requirements of the and peripheral equipment, appliances/ins- conds, approval may still be granted, provided components in their product range in use in the truments, telecommunication equipment, that the surrounding components meet at least household appliance industry. If the plastic ma- operator panels, medical technology, in- the Class V-1 or V-0 requirements as specified terial used does not meet the standard, alterna- dustry automations, renewable energy, in IEC 60695-11-10 or UL 94, or that they pass tives must be sought. Many plastics suppliers aerospace, hobby, household and gardening the needle flame test. have expanded their portfolio of flame-retardant equipment. plastics and can now provide the market with the appropriate solutions. Manufacturers now Differing Goals According to UL and have to choose between changing over com- IEC pletely and offering additional options. Which Historically speaking, UL (Underwriter Labo- path they will take depends on the technical ratories) started out as a building insurance properties on one hand and on the additional company which defined standards governing cost associated with the new flame-retardant electrical installations in buildings and appli- plastics on the other. ances in the US in order to prevent fires. That is why it is always the main goal of an UL standard SCHURTER Provides Solutions for this to reduce the risk of an open fire. The UL 94 test measures vertical flame propagation and a Segment material s dripping behavior. Following a con- SCHURTER provides this market segment with ditioning procedure, the specimen is exposed special versions of traditional products. These to a flame (950 C) for 10 seconds according items basically bear the item number extension to the test setup (Figure 4), whereupon the xxxx.xxxx.15. A detailed declaration of approval time required for the flame to self-extinguish is is included in the VDE certificate of the relevant measured. Following a second pass through product. Visit our website www.schurter.com the same procedure, the ignition of the underly- for further details. ing cotton is also measured. Depending on the after-flame duration, the materials are grouped into flammability classes V-0, V-1 and V-2. The results of these materials tests can be found in UL s Yellow Card. PRODUCTS 2 0165.0529 / 07.12